1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of protective head gear. More particularly, the present invention is a universal safety cap that is intended to prevent head injuries caused by a fall, projectile, or other impact to the head. Although the present invention is not limited to any particular application, the safety cap was designed primarily to be worn by youths when playing baseball. The safety cap may be worn in connection with athletic or industrial activities or for general safety purposes (for example, it may be worn by toddlers or the elderly).
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of devices that are intended to provide protection to the head of an athlete during competition or practice have been patented or are the subject of pending patent applications. More specifically, there are several patented and “patent pending” inventions that are intended to look more like a hat than a helmet and to provide protection to the wearer during games like baseball and golf, where the face is generally exposed, as opposed to football and hockey, where the degree of protection over the face and ears is much greater.
Despite the relative perceived safety of baseball as opposed to some other sports, there have been a number of injuries and even deaths caused by a baseball hitting a player's head at a high speed and/or at an area of the head (such as the temple) that can cause serious injury. Unlike any prior art device, the present invention is designed specifically to prevent such injuries while preserving comfort and remaining relatively inconspicuous. Some of the prior art devices are described below.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,180 (Leach, 1993) relates to a piece of protective headgear with an outer cover that looks like a baseball cap and an inner shell that is made of a rigid foamed material. The shell includes a multitude of ventilation openings. The outer cover is made of fabric, and there are fabric spacer elements with a resilient pile between the outer cover and the inner shell.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,289 (Theoret, 1999) provides a safety cap with a removable fabric cover and an inner, one-piece shell made of an impact-resistant, rigid material. This invention appears to be an improvement over the Leach device in that the outer fabric cover includes a foldable dependent flange that hangs down loosely from the outer cover when not folded. When folded, the flange encloses the exposed edge of the inner shell. The flange also includes a cushioning pad.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,591 (Andersen, 1994) provides a hemispherical plastic dome, designed to fit the shape of a human head, that is intended to be inserted inside a golf or baseball cap. Like the present invention, an object of the Andersen invention is to provide protection to the head without changing the outward appearance of the cap. This particular device, however, has a cutout in the rear of the dome. The purpose of the cutout is to allow the size of the baseball cap to be adjusted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,026 (McManus, 1993) is like the Andersen patent in that it provides an adjustable cap with a safety liner. The safety liner includes cutout sections and is designed to only partially encircle the head of a wearer. A large cutout is provided at the rear of the head of the wearer. The rear cutout is designed to provide increased flexibility of the outer shell and inner liner so that the size of the safety liner can be adjusted.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,333,987 (Dandy, 1943) provides a protective head covering for people engaged in hazardous occupations. It is particularly designed to be worn with baseball caps. The invention comprises a fabric body, a lining, and a relatively rigid curved shield member that is inserted into a pocket that is formed by the body and lining. The shield member covers on the side of the head.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,556 (Barker, 2003) discloses a protective headwear device that protects only the scalp of the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,895 (Barnes, Jr., 1996) covers a baseball-type cap for use over a conventional sports helmet, such as a bicycle helmet. The cap is held in place by an elastic band that fits tight against the head.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,492 (Esposito, Jr., 1997) involves a protective head apparatus that covers only the occipital region of the wearer's head. The apparatus is intended to protect the wearer from injuries sustained during falls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,871 (Phastino, 1984) discloses an outer head covering and a removable protective impact-resistant shell. The outer covering has a crown portion, a shell-receiving opening, and a brim. The shell is held in place by straps that extend from the exterior surface of the shell and pass through strap-receiving openings in the crown portion of the outer head covering.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,830 (Luhtala, 1998) describes a piece of protective headgear designed to protect the wearer against ballistic projectiles. The device consists of several protective layers of fabric and at least one damping layer composed of closed cell material.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,218,947 (Brunzell, 1940) provides a safety cap for ball players, but the rigid, protective part only extends around the circumference of the wearer's head, and the top of the head is unprotected.
Although not designed specifically for use in athletics, U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,515 (Turner et al., 2001) provides a type of protective headgear for children. The device includes a frame with an adjustable and padded band, a visor, and four arcuate cover support members. The device also includes a cover with a tail-like portion that extends downward and protects the back of the child's neck.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,064 also involves protective headgear for children. This invention has three components: a first padding assembly, a second padded assembly, and an outer hat assembly. The first padding assembly comprises a stretchable circular padding band and a plurality of semi-circular padding bands that overlay each other at a ninety-degree angle. The second padded assembly is hemispherically shaped, preferably made of resilient foam, and fits underneath the first padded assembly. The outer hat assembly is a hat with a visor. The device includes a chin strap.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0034903 (Blair) describes a protective sports hat insert device that has a hard outer shell and an inner liner of high-density foamed plastic. Alternatively, the liner uses an Air Management System (AMS) technology. According to the patent application, the AMS provides an adaptive, energy-absorbing layer with a plurality of air-filled cells jointed together by fluid flow passageways. The cells also include pressure-responsive seals that restrict fluid flow between the cells when the cells are subjected to a mechanical force above a pre-selected level. The device is intended to be inserted into a baseball cap.
In addition to the utility patents and patent application described above, there are a couple of design patents covering protective hats or hat inserts for athletic use. These patents include U.S. Pat. No. D458,737 (Fuerst, 2002) and U.S. Pat. No. D364,496 (Lejuez, 1995). Neither of these design patents depicts a protective cap as shown in connection with the present invention.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a functional safety cap that is superior to prior art in terms of providing impact-resistance while still preserving the comfort of the wearer. It is a further object of the present invention to provide protection in the temple and occipital areas of the skull and optionally to provide eye and face/ear protection. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a safety cap that is relatively inconspicuous. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a safety cap that is particularly suitable for baseball, although not limited to that sport or to an athletic activity. The safety cap of the present invention is superior to prior art because it provides greater protection, better comfort, wider versatility and desirable aesthetics while taking advantage of modern manufacturing processes.